Integrating with New Relic


New Relichelps you monitor, debug, and improve your entire stack. 

Configure an integration with New Relic, to view the event, metric, and topology data from New Relic and derive actionable insights.

 

 

You can view the collected data in various BMC Helix applications and derive the following benefits:

BMC Helix application

Type of data collected or viewed

Benefits

BMC Helix Operations Management

Events 

Use a centralized event view to monitor and manage events, perform event operations, and filter events. Identify actionable events from a large volume of event data by processing events.
For more information, see Monitoring events and reducing event noise.

BMC Helix Operations Management

Metrics

Use alarm and variate policies to detect anomalies and eliminate false positives for more accurate results while monitoring the health of your system.

For more information, see Detecting anomalies by using static and dynamic thresholds.

BMC Helix Discovery

Topology

Collect all CIs fromNew Relicin BMC Helix Discovery. 

Collect services from New Relicin BMC Helix Discovery in a format that can be consumed by BMC Helix AIOps  

For more information, see Managing your IT infrastructure.

BMC Helix AIOps

Situations (created from events)

Improve the mean time to resolve (MTTR) based on the situation-driven workflow.

Lower the mean time to detect or discover (MTTD) and the time required for investigating tickets.

For more information, see Monitoring situations.

BMC Helix AIOps

Services (created from topology)

Monitor the overall health of a service.  When the service gets impacted by any factor, view the events generated because of the impact, analyze the causes of the impact, and quickly remediate those events to restore the health of the impacted service.

For more information, see Monitoring services.

As a tenant administrator, perform the following steps to configure a connection with New Relic, verify the connection, and view the collected data in various BMC Helix applications.

ConnectorSteps.png

Task 1: To plan for the connection

  • Depending on the location of the third-party product (SaaS, on-premises), choose one or more BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations deployment modes and review the corresponding port requirements. For information about various deployment modes and port requirements, see Deployment scenarios.
  • Based on the deployment mode, use the BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations SaaS deployment or the BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations on-premises gateway or both. For more information about the gateway, see Deploying the BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations on-premises gateway.

In the preceding list, third-party product refers to New Relic.

Task 2: To configure the connection with New Relic

  1. Depending on the deployment mode, perform one of the following steps to access BMC Helix Intelligent
    Integrations:
    • BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations SaaS – Log on to BMC Helix Portal, and click Launch on BMC Helix
      Intelligent Integrations.
    • BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations on-premises gateway – Use the following URL to access BMC Helix
      Intelligent Integrations: https://<hostName>:<portNumber>/swpui
  2. On the CONNECTORS tab, clickadd_icon.pngin the SOURCES panel.
  3. Click
    New Relic.

  4. Specify the source connection details:
    1. Specify a unique instance name.

      Best practice
      We recommend that you specify the instance name in the following format: 
      <sourceType>_<sourceControllerServerName>_<InstanceQualifier>
      The instance qualifier helps you to distinguish the multiple instances configured from the same source server. For example, you can name your instances as NewRelic_Host_PROD, NewRelic_Host_TEST, and so on.

    2. Specify the API user key.
      For instructions about how to create an API user key from the New Relic UI, see New Relic API keys.

    3. Specify the account ID for the New Relic source (default value is 9999999).

    4. For the personal API key (GraphQL), specify the same API user key that you generated in step b.

    5. Specify the number of maximum concurrent REST API requests that should be executed during a collection schedule (d efault value is 256).

    6. Click Proxy and specify whether you want to configure a proxy server.
      If yes, specify the host name and port number (default value is 8888).

  5. Click VALIDATE AND CREATE.
    The specified connection details are validated and the corresponding source connection is created in the Source Connection list.
  6. Select the source connection that you created from the list if it is not selected already.

    ​​​​​​Important
    The destination host connection is created and configured automatically for each tenant when the source connection is created.

  7. Ensure that the options for the datatypes for which you want to collect data are selected.
  8. Click a data type and specify the configuration parameters in the Collectors section as described in the following table:

    Parameter name

    Description

    Data Type

    NewRelic Events

    NewRelic Metrics

    NewRelic Topology

    Collection Schedule

    Specify the data collection frequency using one of the following methods:

    • Constantly by specifying the schedule in minutes, hours, or day using the Duration option
       Default: 5 minutes (events, metrics), 60 minutes (topology)
      Example:
      Collection Schedule is set to 5 mins. 
      Current time is 00:30.


      If you run the collector just after 00:30, data is collected every 5 mins, first at 00:30 and next at 00:35, and so on.  
    • Periodically by specifying the schedule through a cron expression using the Cron schedule option 
      A cron expression is a string consisting of five subexpressions (fields) that describe individual details of the schedule.  
      These fields, separated by white spaces, can contain any of the allowed values with various combinations of the allowed characters for that field.
      Default: */5 * * * * (evaluates to 5 minutes)

      Format:

      Minutes Hours(24-hour format) Day of Month Month Day of Week

      Example:

      If you specify 10 15 3 7 *, data is collected at 15:10 hours every third day in the month of July.

    For more information about this parameter, see Data collection schedule.

    ✅️

    Default: 5 minutes

    ✅️

    Default: 5 minutes

    ✅️

    Default: 60 minutes

    Data Collection Window

    Specify the historical time period (in minutes) from the current time for which the data should be collected.  

    Default: 5 minutes (events, metrics), 60 minutes (topology)

    Example:

    Collection Schedule is set to 5 mins.
     Data Collection Window is set to 5 mins.
     Current time is 00:30.

    If you run the collector just after 00:30, data is collected first at 00:30 for the interval, 00:25 - 00:30, and next at 00:35 for the interval, 00:30 - 00:35, and so on.

    For more information about this parameter, see Data collection window.

    ✅️

     

    ✅️

     

    ✅️

    Data Latency

    Specify the time (in minutes) by which the data time window should be shifted back on the timeline.

    This parameter is useful in delayed data availability situations.

    Default: 0 minutes

    Example:

    Collection Schedule is set to 5 mins.
     Data Collection Window is set to 10 mins.
    Data Latency is set to 2 mins.
     Current time is 00:30.

    If you run the collector just after 00:30, data is collected first at 00:30 for the interval 00:18 to 00:28 and next at 00:35 for the interval 0:23 to 00:33, and so on.

    For more information about how this parameter affects data collection, see Data latency.

    ✅️

     

    ✅️✅️

    Max Buffer Age

    Enter the maximum buffer age in (hours).

    Default is 2 hours.

    ✅️

     

    ❌️

    ❌️

     

    Applications

    Select All or a subset of applications from the list.

    This list of applications is updated automatically from New Relic .

    ✅️✅️✅️

    Metric Categories

    Select  All  or a specific subset of metric categories from the list.

    This list of metric categories is updated automatically from New Relic .

    ❌️✅️❌️

    NRQL results Limit

    Enter the maximum number of metrics to collect for NRQL.

    ❌️✅️❌️
  9. Click CREATE COLLECTORS  to create the required collector streams for the selected data types.
  10. Click a data type and specify the configuration parameters in the Distributors section as described in the following table:
    Parameter nameDescriptionNewRelic EventsNewRelic MetricsNewRelic Topology
    Max Batching SizeSpecify the maximum number of data items to send in a single POST request to the destination API.
    The batch size depends on the destination’s ability to buffer the incoming data. Default: 250
    ✅️✅️✅️
    Max Batching DelaySpecify the maximum time (in seconds) to wait before building and processing a batch. Default: 3 seconds ✅️✅️✅️
    Base Retry DelaySpecify the initial time (in seconds) for which to wait before retrying to build and process a batch.
    The waiting time increases in the following sequence: n1, n2, n3, and so on, where n indicates the number of seconds.Default: 2 secondsExample:Base Retry Delay is set to 2 seconds.Retry is performed after 2, 4, 8, 16, ... seconds.
    ✅️✅️✅️
    Max Intra-Retry DelaySpecify the maximum limit for the base retry delay. Default: 60 secondsExample: Max Intra-Retry Delay is set to 60 seconds.
    Base Retry Delay is set to 2 seconds.Retries are performed 2, 4, 8, 16, 32,... seconds later.
    ✅️✅️✅️
    Max Retry Duration

    Specify the total time for retrying a delivery. For REST destinations, a delivery is a batch of data items in one POST request. Default: 5 minutes

    Example:Max Retry Duration is set to 8 hours.
    Base Retry Delay is set to 2 seconds. Requests are sent for 2+4+8+16+32+64+132... until 8 hours in total duration is reached. After that, no subsequent attempts are made to retry the delivery. The assumption here is that if there is an outage or other issue with the destination tool, recovery should take less than the value of the Max Retry Duration parameter to be completed.

    ✅️✅️✅️
    Attributes To Be Dropped When Updating Events

    Specify the event attributes that you do not want to be updated in BMC Helix Operations Management when events are updated. For example, if you do not want an event's severity, source address, source category, and subcategory to be updated in BMC Helix Operations Management , you need to specify those attributes in a comma-separated format:severity,source_address,source_category,source_subcategory.

    Important:You can obtain the event attribute names in BMC Helix Operations Management, by exporting any event datain JSON, BAROC, XML, or CSV format . The exported file contains all attributes of the event data, and from there you can identify the attributes to be dropped. 

    ✅️✅️✅️
    Device Filters and Metrics filtersDevice and Metrics filters help remove unwanted data and send only the required data to BMC Helix applications. The data is filtered by using the regular expression (regex) provided for device name, monitor name, monitor type, and metrics, and is sent to BMC Helix applications.
    Device Name RegexSpecify the regex for the device name. Metrics for devices whose names match the regex are sent to BMC Helix applications.
    Examples:
    • To send data for the devices that contain the string Linux in their names, specify the regex as .*Linux.*.
    • To send data for the devices that contain the string Cisco and Linux, specify the regex as (?=.*Cisco)(?=.*Linux).*.
    • To send the data for the devices whose names start with the string Linux, specify the regex as ^Linux.*. 
    Important:
    If you are using multiple regex, make sure that the regex do not conflict.
    For example, do not enter .*Linux.* and ^(?!.*Linux).* together. The former regex sends metrics for the devices whose names contain the string Linux, while the latter regex sends metrics for the devices whose names do not contain the string Linux.
    ❌️✅️❌️
    Monitor Name RegexSpecify the regex for the monitor name. Metrics for the monitors whose names match the regex are sent to BMC Helix applications.
    Examples:
    • To send data for the monitors that contain the string system in their names, specify the regex as .*system.*.
    • To filter out the data for monitors that contain system in their name, specify the regex as ^(?!.*system).*.
    • To send the data for monitors whose names start with the string system, specify the regex as ^system.*.
    Important:
    If you are using multiple regex, make sure that the regex do not conflict.
    For example, do not enter .*system.* and ^(?!.*system).* together. The former regex sends metrics for the monitors whose names contain the string system, while the latter regex sends metrics for the monitors whose names do not contain the string system.
    ❌️✅️❌️
    Monitor Type RegexSpecify the regex for the monitor type. Metrics are sent to BMC Helix applications for the monitor type that matches the regex.
    Examples:
    • To send data for the monitor type that contains the string health, specify the regex as .*health.*.
    • To send data for the monitor type that starts with the string health, specify the regex as ^health.*.
    • To filter out the monitor type that contains the string health, specify the regex as ^(?!.*health).*.
    Important:
    If you are using multiple regex, make sure that the regex do not conflict.
    For example, do not enter, ^health.* and ^(?!.*health).* together. The former regex collects metrics for the monitor type whose names contain the string health, while the latter regex collects data for the monitor types whose names do not contain the string health.
    ❌️✅️❌️
    Metrics RegexSpecify the regex for the metrics. Metrics are sent to BMC Helix applications whose names match the regex.
    Examples:
    • To send metrics that contain the string avg in their names, specify the regex as .*avg.*.
    • To filter out the metrics that contain the string avg, specify the regex as ^(?!.*avg).*.
    • To send metrics whose names start with the string avg, specify the regex as ^avg.*.
    Important:
    If you are using multiple regex, make sure that the regex do not conflict.
    For example, do not enter, .*avg.* and ^(?!.*avg).* together. The former regex sends metrics whose name contains the string avg, while the latter regex sends metrics whose name does not contain the string avg.
    ❌️✅️❌️
    Events FiltersEvents filters help remove unwanted data and send only the required events to BMC Helix applications. The data is filtered by using the regular expression (regex) provided for host, message, and detailed message and is sent to BMC Helix applications.
    Host RegexSpecify the regex for the host name. Events for the hosts whose names match the regex are sent to BMC Helix applications.
    Examples:
    • To send data for the host name /inventory/pricing, specify the regex as ^/inventory/pricing$.
    • To filter out data whose host name contains the string inventory, specify the regex as ^(?!.*inventory).*.
    • To send the data for the host whose names start with the string inventory, specify the regex as ^inventory.*. 
    Important:
    If you are using multiple regex, make sure that the regex do not conflict.
    For example, do not enter .*(inventory).* and ^(?!.*inventory).* together. The former regex sends events for the hosts whose names contain the string inventory, while the latter regex sends events for the hosts whose names do not contain the string inventory.
    ✅️❌️❌️
    Message RegexSpecify the regex for the event message. Messages for the events that match the regex are sent to BMC Helix applications.
    Examples:
    • To send events whose messages contain the string HRV alert, specify the regex as .*HRV alert*.
    • To filter out the events whose message contains the string HRV alert, specify the regex as ^(?!.*HRV alert).*.
    • To send events whose message starts with the string HRV alert, specify the regex as ^(HRV alert).*. 
    Important:
    If you are using multiple regex, make sure that the regex do not conflict.
    For example, do not enter .*HRV alert.* and ^(?!.*HRV alert).* together. The former regex sends events whose message contains the string HRV alert, while the latter regex sends events whose message do not contain the string HRV alert.
    ✅️❌️❌️
    Detailed Message RegexSpecify the regex for the detailed message. Detailed messages for the events that match the regex are sent to BMC Helix applications.
    Examples:​​
    • To send events whose detailed message contains the string ci_display_name: easyTravel-k8s, specify the regex as .*ci_display_name: easyTravel-k8s.*.
    • To filter out the events whose detailed message contains the string ci_display_name: easyTravel-k8s, specify the regex as ^(?!.*ci_display_name: easyTravel-k8s).*.
    • To send the events whose detailed message starts with the string ci_display_name: easyTravel-k8s, specify the regex as ^(ci_display_name: easyTravel-k8s).*.
    Important:
    If you are using multiple regex, make sure that the regex do not conflict.
    For example, do not enter .*ci_display_name: easyTravel-k8s.* and ^(?!.*ci_display_name: easyTravel-k8s).* together. The former regex sends events whose detailed message contains the string ci_display_name: easyTravel-k8s, while the latter regex sends events whose message do not contain the string ci_display_name: easyTravel-k8s.
    ✅️❌️❌️
  11. Click CREATE DISTRIBUTORS to create the required distributor streams for the selected data types.
  12. Click one of the following buttons:

    • SAVE STREAM: Click this button if you want to edit the integration details before creating the connector. After you save the stream, the connector that you just created is listed in the SOURCES panel. Slide the slider on the right to start the data stream.

    • SAVE AND START STREAM: Click this button if you want to save the integration details and start receiving data immediately.

Important
For a data stream, the Run Latency (max/avg), Items (Avg per Run), and Last Run Status columns on the Streams page might show the status as No Runs during the data collection process. After completion of the process, these columns are updated with an appropriate status.

For more information about data streams, see Starting-or-stopping-data-streams.   

Task 3: To verify the connection

In BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations , on the SOURCES panel, confirm that the data streams for the integration you created are running. Data streaming is indicated by moving colored arrows.

NewRelic_Stream.png

  • A moving dark blue arrow (EventsStream_Icon.png) indicates that the event stream is running. Event data will be pushed according to the configured Collection Schedule interval.
  • A moving red arrow (MetricsStream_Icon.png) indicates that the metric stream is running. Metric data will be pushed according to the configured Collection Schedule interval.
  • A moving light blue arrow (TopologyStream_Icon.png) indicates that the topology stream is running. Topology data will be pushed according to the configured Collection Schedule interval.

To view data in BMC Helix applications

View data collected from New Relic in multiple BMC Helix applications.

To view events in BMC Helix Operations Management

  1. In BMC Helix Operations Management, select Monitoring > Events.
  2. Filter the events by the NewRelicEvent class.
    New_Relic.png

Incoming events from New Relic  are processed in BMC Helix Operations Management through a set of deduplication rules to determine whether the incoming event is a duplicate event or a new event. For more information, see Event-deduplication-suppression-and-closure-for-reducing-event-noise.

For more information about events, see Monitoring and managing events.

To view metrics in BMC Helix Operations Management

  1. In BMC Helix Operations Management, select Monitoring > Devices.
  2. Click the links for the required device.
  3. On the Monitors tab, click the required monitor.
    The Performance Overview tab shows the metrics graph.
    New_Relic_Metric.png
    For information about metrics, see Viewing collected data.

     

To view the topology data in BMC Helix Discovery

In BMC Helix Discovery, select Explore > Data, and click <count> Import Records in the Miscellaneous section. The Import Record List page shows the CI records received from New Relic. For information about records, see Managing your IT infrastructure.

To view services and situations in BMC Helix AIOps

Before you view services and situations in BMC Helix AIOps, create a Business Service model in BMC Helix Discovery. For information about creating models, see Managing models.

In BMC Helix AIOps, on the Overview page, view the services and situations for the event and topology data received from New Relic.

 

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